1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to print data processing apparatuses, printers, photograph vending machines, print data processing methods, and programs for performing the print data processing methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of printers are available depending on the purpose and use. Self-service photograph vending machines (hereinafter, referred to as kiosk terminals), which are one type of business printer, will be described below.
Kiosk terminals, which are apparatuses used by users to readily print digital images, are located in stores and the like.
Kiosk terminals perform printing processing roughly based on the procedure described below. First, a user inserts a user-carried recording medium into a reader. The kiosk terminal reads image data from the recording medium, and presents the image data in a thumbnail format. The user selects an image to be printed from among the presented thumbnail images, and designates the number of copies to be output. The number of copies to be output and the print size can be adjusted for each image. Then, the user inserts money, and a photograph is output from the kiosk terminal (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-118210).
When using existing kiosk terminals, in order to output an image in a plurality of print sizes, for example, in order to print an image in an L size (8.9 cm×12.7 cm) and in a KG size, that is, a postcard size (10.2 cm×15.2 cm), users make an order for each print size.
For example, after ordering printing in the L size, users order printing in the postcard size again. This is because the existing kiosk terminals can receive an order for printing an image in only one print size.
Thus, when users want to print an image in a plurality of print sizes, the users do not see, in a single printing-instruction reception operation, the total number of copies to be output.
An apparatus disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-118210 also sets the number of copies to be output and the print size for each image. Thus, in order to output an image in a plurality of print sizes, orders are made separately.
As disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-118210, existing kiosk terminals adopt a control procedure for assigning a piece of image data to a printer device and for waiting until completion of the printing before assigning the next piece of image data to a printer device.
Thus, even if a printing system deals with a plurality of print sizes, printing in another print size is not started until printing in a first print size is completed.
In this case, when a user desires printing in a plurality of print sizes, the total print time is calculated by adding print times for the plurality of print sizes. Thus, the total print time is increased.
In addition, when a plurality of users desire printing in different print sizes, printing for the next user is not started until printing for one user is completed. Thus, a waiting time is increased.
As described above, further improvement in the usability of existing kiosk terminals is possible. In addition, since existing control procedures do not effectively utilize the resources of printing systems, the control procedures should be improved in terms of operating efficiency.
In actual circumstances, printing may not be started immediately after receiving a printing instruction. For example, printing is not started if a paper size of a printing system is not equal to a print size designated by a user, if paper to be fed is in short supply, if ink is in short supply, if a fault occurs in a printer device, or the like.
Since existing kiosk terminals do not have a function to present to users the features supported by the printing system when receiving a printing instruction, users do not know whether or not printing can be immediately started until an error notification is received after the instruction for execution is given.
This problem occurs not only when kiosk terminals perform printing processing but also when printing apparatuses are used for other purposes.